The Cultural Revival in Ireland
We often hear about a cultural revival happening in Ireland. There’s a growing interest in the Irish language and our indigenous arts and culture, something that hasn’t been seen for a long time. For many, this is a welcome change.
Growing up in Dublin with an Irish-speaking background, it was considered uncool to speak Irish until recently. Now, there’s a significant shift, and it’s a positive one. But what does this mean? A language doesn’t thrive just because TikTokers are sharing ‘Six ways to say sex as Gaeilge’. For me, it’s clear: reclaiming your language is also reclaiming a sense of self, autonomy, and culture.
A change in how we view the Irish language can influence how we feel about Ireland itself. It’s pointless to relearn the language if you don’t care about the country. However, a language revival means little if the people who speak it can’t afford to live here. Modern Ireland faces deep contradictions—there’s a housing crisis that makes it hard to breathe, let alone thrive. Families live in emergency accommodation, streets are filled with derelict buildings owned by speculators, and urban areas are taken over by international vulture funds. Our carers are undervalued, and child poverty rates remain high on both sides of the border.
I come from the first generation that will be worse off than our parents, and our podcast listeners are young people stuck in their parents’ box rooms. You might wonder what a United Ireland would offer them, and the answer is everything. They, and I, are eager for a new type of Ireland.
The Podcast Approach
We’re familiar with the genre of ‘white middle-class millennial women solving cold murder mystery cases’. At How To Gael, we’ve taken a similar approach with our new series on the potential for unification of this island. Our aim is to start a conversation with our listeners and peers.
The BBC produced its own series on the question of Irish unity in October, and their conclusion was that we in the Republic need to seriously engage with the idea of a United Ireland if a border poll is ever to happen. How often do countries get to reimagine their states? How exciting is the prospect of rebuilding our house, as Mary McAleese has said?
Of course, there are challenges. The road to potential unity is unpaved and unclear. I, like most people, have no interest in living in a place where people don’t feel welcome or comfortable.
Engaging with Society
As global politics shift and Western democracy faces threats, it’s more important than ever to be actively engaged with what happens in our society. Ireland has a reputation for staying on the right side of history, but there are gaps in our understanding of our political and societal nuances.
In 2023, a survey found that half of people south of the border hadn’t traveled north in the previous five years, and two-thirds said they had no friends in Northern Ireland. There’s outdated thinking that needs to be challenged. These conversations can feel intimidating, which is one of the great challenges we face.
There’s a lot to discuss, and while I believe there’s a great opportunity for success, there’s also an opportunity for failure. That’s why it’s imperative we start having serious conversations North and South of the border about what we want for Ireland’s future.
Democracy and Conversations
Democracy allows everyone’s voice to matter. Debate and discussion lead to new avenues to learn from each other. That’s why we’ve embarked on this new mini-series, How To Unite Ireland?, because we want to learn and have more conversations on how best to improve this great island we all call home.
We sat down with Taoiseach Micheál Martin and discussed his Shared Island initiative. We also spoke with Economist Stephen Kinsella to figure out what this might cost us and what economic frameworks need to be in place. Journalist Sam McBride, historian Andrew Clarke AKA Tanistry, president of the GAA Jarlath Burns, and PhD Candidate Róisín Nic Liam are also joining us over the coming weeks.
While I can’t guarantee a solution to the question, I can say it’s an important and worthwhile listen for all of us.
Doireann Ní Ghlacáin is one of the hosts of the How To Gael podcast, along with Louise Cantillon and Síomha Ní Ruairca.
